Terming the newly passed Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Bill, 2016 contrary to the country’s constitution, development activists in the capital yesterday urged the government to cancel its section 14 to make the law a suitable one, reports UNB.
“After consultations with the representatives of NGOs, we demand amendment to the bill for dropping section 14 and other undemocratic, vulnerable and unrealistic sections,” trustee board chairperson of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Sultana Kamal told a press conference.
Some 16 NGOs, including Ain o Shalish Kendra, Nijera Kori, TIB, Oxfam International, Care International, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) and Manusher Jonno Foundation jointly arranged the press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).
On October 5 last, Parliament passed the Foreign Donations Regulation Bill with a provision to cancel the registration of NGOs for ‘malicious’ statements or ‘subversive’ remarks on any constitutional bodies.
Sultana Kamal said the bill has a provision that the government can cancel the registration of NGOs if any such organisation or individual makes any indecent or discriminatory comments against the  Constitution or constitutional bodies. But, she said, this section is unclear, hugely explainable and inexplicable, autocratic, and contrary to the fundamental rights of the constitution -- freedom of thought and conscience, and of speech.
The TIB chairperson called upon the President not to assent to the Foreign Donations Regulation Bill. TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said terrorist activities and money-laundering issues have been incorporated in the Foreign Donations Regulation Bill, but there are separate laws to deal with those.
He said if any one conducts anti-state activities or finances terrorist and militant activities or gets involved in children and women trafficking, engages in arms and drug smuggling, then it should be considered an offence as per the existing laws of the country. Nijera Kori coordinator Khushi Kabir, BELA chief executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan and executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation Shaheen Anam, among others, spoke at the press conference.